


At Least We Stole The Show

by Nixie_DeAngel



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Daphne is a good mum, Domestic Bliss, Domestic Fluff, Dudley is a good dad, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Happily Married, Happy, Hopeful future, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Post canon, Reconciliation, Shopping, Tiny bit angsty, but mostly overall fluff and love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:55:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27155548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nixie_DeAngel/pseuds/Nixie_DeAngel
Summary: Rolling his eyes good-naturedly, Dudley nods dutifully down at his wife, “Don’t worry. I’ll remember to grab them and another thing of nappies for Barn, the overnight ones, I remember,” he says, assuring Daphne before she can try to remind him. “You worry too much. Go, I’ve got this, darling.”“Alright, alright, I’m going, I’m going,” she says, smiling wide and bright, and full of love as she walks away.“Dudley?”
Relationships: Dudley Dursley/Daphne Greengrass
Comments: 15
Kudos: 46
Collections: Fic In A Box





	At Least We Stole The Show

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ahatmadeofcheese](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ahatmadeofcheese/gifts).



> I hope you enjoyed this!

* * *

“You sure we need this for Xanthe, Daph?” Dudley asks, bouncing Barnaby, attempting to quiet his two-year-old son. While normally a happy and easygoing child, Barnaby didn’t like large crowds and the noise they generated. “I know, sweetheart, I know. Just a bit longer, your mum promises.”

Daphne doesn’t answer, just shoots her husband a look over her shoulder before going back to looking through them. “We do. If we don’t ensure that we have the _proper_ snacks for her sleepover, I don’t think we’ll hear the end of it.”

Snorting, Dudley sends his wife a grin before continuing on, “Hate to say it, luv, but our daughter is bound to find _something_ wrong with our selections, and is going to make a fuss about it.”

“Yes, well, she gets that from _your_ side, darling,” she shoots back, teasing and fond, dropping the overly large package of galaxy cookie crumble into the cart. She eyes what she’s already snagged around the shop for a moment. “I think we _might_ be okay. If not. I’m sure _my_ mum will send sweets and treats over as well before tomorrow. As if we wouldn’t ensure our daughter’s first sleepover went well,” she says, sarcasm lacing her tone, and walks around to step up close. 

She moves to rub at Barnaby’s back, pressing a few soft kisses to the top of his head. “It’ll be okay, darling. Mummy and Da are done now, okay? How about you and I go wait out in the car, hmm? Get you away from all this nasty noise?” It takes a moment, trying to get Barnaby to release the near death grip he’s got on Dudley’s jumper, but eventually they get him switched into his mother’s arms. 

She stretches up, pressing a kiss to Dudley’s lips, before shifting the toddler to a more comfortable, and bettered secured grip. “We’ll see you outside then, luv. Don’t forget to snag Edmund’s treat, the one for his maths test, ya?”

Rolling his eyes good-naturedly, Dudley nods dutifully down at his wife, “Don’t worry. I’ll remember to grab them and another thing of nappies for Barn, the overnight ones, I remember,” he says, assuring Daphne before she can try to remind him. “You worry too much. Go, I’ve got this, darling.”

“Alright, alright, I’m going, I’m going,” she says, smiling wide and bright, and full of love as she walks away. 

“ _Dudley_?”

Flinching slightly, Dudley’s head snaps to the side. His eyes go wide and his mouth drops open in shock. “ _Harry_?”

“Was that Daphne Greengrass?” The small red headed woman next to Harry asks, brows drawn done in confusion. 

“Dursley,” Dudley corrects automatically. “It’s ah, Daphne Dursley these days.” He shifts, still staring over at his cousin in shock. It’d been, oh dear Dudley thinks, it’d been more than a decade since he’d last seen his cousin. “We’ve been married nearly eight years now.”

“And with kids,” Harry adds, voice still a little high with shock. “I, uh, I didn’t think you’d, uh, marry someone like that.”

Dudley bites back the surge of anger that shoots through him, resisting the urge to yell and snap in defense of his wife. An image of the first night he’d brought Daphne around to meet just his mum flashes through his mind, the screaming and yelling and things being thrown around. He shifts again, and can feel his jumper brush against his arm, against the scar he still bears to this day, from his mother throwing one of her porcelain dishes at them. 

But he keeps himself, makes himself take a few deep breaths before answering, in a quietly bitter voice, “I’m not my parents.” He watches as the pair opposite blink, watches as several emotions fly across his cousin’s face, far too fast for him to try to identify, and waits. Waits for what, he doesn’t know, but he waits. 

They stand there a little awkward for a beat until the woman moves to run a comforting hand across Harry’s back. They share a silent conversation before she smiles and nods and slips away. 

Swallowing, Dudley tightens his grip on his cart as he watches his cousin shuffle forward a few steps, closing the gap between them. 

“It’s good to see you D,” he says, smiling all tentative and hopeful.

Feeling his shoulders drop, like a weight was no longer there, Dudley smiles in response. “Actually, it’s either Dud or Dudley. Or, well Da, but that’s only to my kids,” he chuckles, soft and still a little uncertain.

“How many do you have?” Harry inquires, making a face afterwards, like he isn’t sure he should have asked about Dudley’s kids or not. 

“Three, we’ve got three. Two boys and a girl,” Dudley grins, face going fond as he thinks about his children. “All, uh, all like you and Daph,” he adds, lips twisting into a sheepish smile.

Harry shifts, grins and nods, “I’m glad you’re happy, Dudley.”

Swallowing down the thick knot of emotion that’s suddenly developed in his throat, Dudley gives a jerky nod. He clears his throat, once, twice, before saying, “You, you too, Harry. You look good. Like. Like you’re finally happy.”

He smiles in response, all soft and happy, “I am. I really am.”

They stand there together, awkwardly for a long moment. “We should do dinner,” Dudley blurts out and almost immediately cringes. “I mean, I thought we could try to catch up. With us, and what’s happened since, since. Well. Or maybe we could have dinner? Or the two of us grab a cuppa, or something.”

He watches as Harry thinks it over for a long moment, before nodding. “Maybe we start with a cuppa. We could work up to a family dinner,” he suggests in response.

“Aye, we could do that.” Dudley shifts, rummaging through his pockets to find a paper, so he could give Harry his number. When suddenly a small hand was reaching past him, handing a folded paper out to Harry. Glancing to the side, Dudley blinked down at his wife in surprise. Flicking his gaze down, he sees Barnaby sleeping, face tucked in close to Daphne’s neck. “I thought you went to the car,” he says, a little dumbly.

“He just needed his mum, and a quick walk around, before he fell asleep,” she answers, smiles before turning back to Harry. “Here you are Potter, Harry, I mean. This is our number.” 

Carefully, Harry plucks the number from her outstretched hand. “It’s, er, good to see you Daphne?” he says, stilted and uncertain, but he pockets the folded up paper. 

Snorting, Daphne rolls her eyes without a hint of anything but exasperation. “I’m sure,” she says, a touch teasingly. “Make sure you don’t call _too_ late. We try to get Barnaby down early, and unfortunately for us, he’s inherited Petunia Dursley’s near bat like hearing.”

Chuckling, Harry grins. “I can understand that.” He shifts again, sending a smile to both, “I’m afraid I do need to pop off, though. Gin and I were sent off to get some supplies for a family dinner we’re heading too. But I’ll be sure to give you a ring, Dudley, in the next few days.” He says it like a promise, like a vow. 

“It was good to see you, Harry,” Dudley says, and watches his cousin continue on his way. He stays like that, hands back down to gripping the cart. 

“You alright, luv?” Daphne asks, brows and lips curled up into concern and worry. “You know, I could go hunt him back down and take it back.”

“No, no, luv, no. That’s not it.” Dudley assures, unclenching his hands and turning to pull her into a gentle embrace. “I just never expected to run into him. For it to be that easy.”

Humming, Daphne curls one hand around his jaw, thumb swiping his cheek softly. “Still need to get through a coffee with him first,” she points out. “But you two aren’t who you used to be. And neither of you are around your parents. They can’t colour how you two interact anymore,” she adds. 

He stares down at her, full of wonderment and love, “How’d I get so lucky for a beautiful, understanding wife?”

Laughing softly, Daphne guides him down to press a gentle kiss to his lips. “I got utterly tossed, and you held my hair back in an alley behind that pub. Then you took me to breakfast before putting me in a taxi.”

“That’s just how we met, Daph.”

“But it was also the first time someone had shown me how _good_ a muggle, a man, could be. Besides, I’m the one who did all the pursuing. Took me _ages_ to get you to finally cotton on I wanted a date from you.”

Grinning, he leaned their foreheads together, “Always was a bit slow with you,” he murmurs. “I caught up though.”

“Eventually,” she teases. “Now come on. We’ve still got to go grab Edmund’s treat, and Barnaby’s nappies. I’m sure my mother is near to tearing her hair out with the twins.”

Laughing, they untangle themselves, moving to finish up with their shopping.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm Nixie! You can find me where I post the things I [create](https://nixies-creations.tumblr.com/), or at my main blog [here](http://nixie-deangel.tumblr.com/)!


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